Course Catalogue

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The Applied Project is a capstone 60-credit course, designed to provide MSc students with an immersive experience that integrates and applies the knowledge, skills, and analytical tools acquired throughout their studies. Running during the summer, this project challenges students to address real-world problems, often informed by our industry contacts, reflecting the complexity of professional finance projects. With access to the University's data resources, students will choose software or programming languages from their coursework to conduct rigorous empirical analysis, ensuring that their findings are reproducible and industry-relevant.

Research Methods and Dissertation Training course: 20 hours of lectures and in-class lab during Semester One and 16 hours of lectures and in-class lab in Semester Two.

In semester 2 there are 2hr lab sessions with the software Stata; students are required to attend one x 2hr lab session.

Students must be registered on one of the associated programmes listed in this course specification.

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This Applied Structured Project will have three different assessments:

1. Individual Report/Essay (70%, 8000 words): This substantial written component includes literature review, analysis, findings, and discussions related to the chosen topic.

2. Individual Reflection (10%, 1000 words) specifically dedicated to the learning journey and project milestones.

3. Video Presentation (20%): Students will create and deliver a video presentation, of duration 20-30 minutes, that summarises their project work, effectively communicating their findings and the implications of their analysis to targeted stakeholders as well as a general audience.

1. To equip students with the skills to independently design and execute an industry-informed project, applying advanced analytical techniques to address real-world financial and economic challenges.

2. To develop students' proficiency in empirical analysis and use of industry-standard software, ensuring that findings are rigorous, reproducible, and relevant to professional contexts.

3. To enhance students' ability to communicate complex analysis and insights effectively, both in written form and through professional presentations, preparing them for diverse audiences and stakeholders.

4. To enable students to integrate and apply theoretical knowledge from their MSc program to practical, data-driven problems, bridging the gap between academic study and industry practice.

5. To foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills by engaging students in a structured project that requires adaptability, innovation, and attention to detail.

6. To promote reflective learning, encouraging students to assess their progress, challenges, and growth throughout the project, fostering skills as confident, lifelong learners.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Design and execute a substantial, independent project that applies advanced empirical methods to investigate and solve a real-world financial or economic problem relevant to their MSc program.

2. Critically evaluate and synthesize academic and industry literature to construct a rigorous foundation for their project, demonstrating depth of insight and advanced analytical skills.

3. Formulate and justify a clear research question or objective, drawing on industry insights and theoretical frameworks to select and defend appropriate methodologies.

4. Apply and adapt statistical or computational techniques to conduct rigorous, reproducible data analysis, meeting professional standards of accuracy and rigor.

5. Interpret, appraise, and critique findings, deriving meaningful conclusions and implications within the financial or economic context of their project, and identifying potential applications or limitations.

6. Communicate and defend their project outcomes in a professional format, producing a well-structured written report and a video presentation effectively tailored for both specialized stakeholders and general audiences.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.